"Any kind of popular trend is infinitely more wholesome than listening to old records. It's more important that people know that some kind of pleasure can be derived from things that are around them - rather than to catalogue more stuff - you can do that forever"- HARRY SMITH
........................"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may / Old Time is still a-flying / And this same flower that smiles today/Tomorrow will be dying"-ROBERT HERRICK

Thursday, July 14, 2016

brutal recreation

Quietusarticle on Brutalist Playgrounds and an exhibition titled The Brutalist Playgroundset up by "architectural collective ASSEMBLE" in collaboration with artist Simon Terrill, now opened at Park Hill’s Scottish Queen "after a run at RIBA HQ in London"

These images reminded me of one of the most dour and drear looking brutalist edifices I ever came across - the Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children in Swiss Cottage - right near the Marriott where we stayed a few times. It seemed to suck the light out of the air, no matter what the weather or sunshine levels were like.

These pictures does not really do justice to its squat, dismal quality...

... and there aren't any others on the internet because, well, why would anyone take a picture of it?

Also it was flattened in 2007 to make for a new secondary school.

Passing it I would always think, these kids are deaf, so why also deprive their eyes of beauty?